Sonys XEL-1 debuted Monday as the first organic light-emitting diode set on the market in North America. Although it boasts only an 11-inch screen, it offers a precedent-obliterating contrast ratio of 1 million to 1 in a console only 3mm deep — roughly 30 times as sharp and one-tenth as thick as conventional LCD sets. It’s in Sony Style stores now, and the company unveiled a prototype 27-inch set, too.

Sony’s OLED set produces stunning picture quality because images are generated by an organic material. It uses no backlight, which means it uses far less power and creates blacks that are almost total, with accompanying contrast and brightness that contribute to astonishingly rich color. Sony’s chief executive, Howard Stringer, said OLEDs were “redefining TV.”

But the technology is still new and expensive — the tiny 11-inch XEL-1 carries a $2,500 price tag — and besides Sony, only Samsung Electronics Co. has a working OLED prototype at CES. Its 31-inch set isn’t expected to come to market for two more years, though.

Jesus christ. I can't wait for that technology to hit the gaming market.

OLED's are advancing rapidly, more rapidly than most could imagine. Within 5 years I foresee them replacing LCD's all together. You have to see one of these things up close, they truly are an amazing advancement.

Just a matter of time before we can buy "wallpaper" that behaves in much the same manner.

quote Originally posted by Boondawg:

Interesting screen shot. Anyway you could turn that screen a little? Exactly what were you viewing?

------------------
Ron

It's the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us the freedom of the press.
It's the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us the freedom of speech.
It's the Soldier, not the politicians
That ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
It's the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag.

Jessica Alba?

Last I checked, the XEL-1 was being delayed because the blue LEDs weren't lasting as long as they were supposed to?

Anyone know if that's still the case? (IMHO - don't buy one for the first year!)

.

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 12-08-2008).]

quote Originally posted by JazzMan: OLEDs still have a life problem, but then again so does plasma and for that matter CRTs which only have around 10k hours max. If you use the screen 3 hours a day 7 days a week (That's a lot of couch potato time) for 5 years that's only 5,500 hours before the effective life of the device is over (due to other malfunction, age, upgrade, obsoletion, etc). What I find most interesting about OLED technology is that there's no real reason why it ultimately can't be adapted to inkjet printing technology, meaning that you could literally print a small TV, or an animated Christmas Card, movie clips, etc. Imagine having a map to the party that actually showed the drive there? That would be nice, eh? JazzMan

I didn't know that.. That sounds cool...

OLED wallpaper, here I come..

quote Originally posted by JazzMan: What I find most interesting about OLED technology is that there's no real reason why it ultimately can't be adapted to inkjet printing technology, meaning that you could literally print a small TV, or an animated Christmas Card, movie clips, etc. Imagine having a map to the party that actually showed the drive there? That would be nice, eh? JazzMan

The medicos are already "printing" replacement tissues like veins, arteries, skin, etc.
Saw it on Wired Science.

[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 01-09-2008).]

They're also "printing" solar cells now instead of assembling them by hand.

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: If i'm not mistaken, Plasma & LCD's are 60,000 hours now. On average viewing, about 5 years.

Seriously, how many hours do you watch every day?

5 years x 365 days x 24 hours = 43,800 hours.

So to squeeze 60,000 hours in 5 years, you need to watch an average of 32 hours per day. Kudos to you for finding those extra hours in a day. Been looking for them myself for ages now.

Anywho, 60,000 hours equals more to watching for about 30 years or so.

quote Originally posted by Cliff Pennock: Seriously, how many hours do you watch every day? 5 years x 365 days x 24 hours = 43,800 hours. So to squeeze 60,000 hours in 5 years, you need to watch an average of 32 hours per day. Kudos to you for finding those extra hours in a day. Been looking for them myself for ages now. Anywho, 60,000 hours equals more to watching for about 30 years or so.

Well, I DO watch some stuff twice................

Mine runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
I never shut it off.
It even informs me while I sleep.

I just guessed at 5 years.
60,000 hours is probibly more like 7 years.

[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 01-09-2008).]